Angry Rafa's dreams wrecked as Inzaghi bites back

They had the measure of AC Milan, but the doors of the pantheon that remain closed to Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho were slammed firmly in the face of the Anfield manager.

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A deflected goal and a rare moment's indecision from Carragher denied Benitez's men their second European Cup. Denied them the chance to stand alongside the all-conquering Liverpool teams of the past and achieve what Ferguson considers to be football greatness.

In the end, the honour went to Carlo Ancelotti and a Milan side that, for all their good fortune on this occasion, were contesting their third Champions League Final in five seasons.

To the forever-young Paolo Maldini, who held that wonderful trophy above those chiselled features for a recordequalling fifth time.

To Filippo Inzaghi, who did so well in scoring his second goal even if his first was the product of a free-kick that, fortunately for him, flew into the net off his upper arm.

Credit nevertheless went to Liverpool for the manner and mastery of their performance, the sight of Gennaro Gattuso hugging Steven Gerrard at the end proof of the respect they not only earned but also deserved.

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This, after all, is a Liverpool side that eliminated Juventus and Chelsea before beating Milan in Istanbul two years ago and knocked out Barcelona and Chelsea en route to Athens.

All they lacked last night was a touch of good fortune and the touch of a striker Benitez will now endeavour to find in the summer transfer window. They had much of the ball, created the majority of the decent chances and, unlike United in the semi-finals, made Kaka and his colleagues look distinctly ordinary.

The destructive force that is the diminutive Javier Mascherano had so much to do with that, as did the tireless Jermaine Pennant on Liverpool's right flank.

His final ball was not always of the quality required but he ran further than anyone on Wednesday night - according to the statistics further, even, than Gattuso - and stretched Milan's ageing defence. Gerrard also performed well and, until Dirk Kuyt's 89th-minute header, he went the closest of any Liverpool player to scoring.

However, he will look back on his 63rd-minute effort that forced a fine save from a diving Dida and realise that he should have done better and could have ultimately changed the course of this contest.

But the role of second striker is still one to which he is not ideally suited, not least because it diminishes his influence.

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Tactically, Benitez can at least be content in the knowledge that he got it right this time. In Turkey two years ago, the absence of a defensive midfielder allowed Milan to run riot in the first half and surge into a three-goal lead. On this occasion, Liverpool appeared to be in control.

Before Alonso needlessly knocked Kaka to the ground moments before the interval and conceded a free-kick, Liverpool had unleashed four shots to Milan's one.

Pennant threatened, as did Gerrard, while the sight of Mascherano wrestling the ball away from Gattuso and then stopping Kaka in his tracks giving a red sea of Liverpool supporters great cause for optimism.

Frustration began to surge the veins of the "Rossoneri", Gattuso collecting the first booking with a rash challenge on Alonso.

But when Alonso brought down Kaka 25 yards out, a free-kick that Andrea Pirlo opted to take flew past a wrong-footed Pepe Reina via Inzaghi.

A measure of how much it meant to the Italians was seen in Inzaghi's celebration. He leapt over the advertising hoardings, fell to the ground and then recovered to sprint across an athletics track once graced by Kelly Holmes to celebrate with jubilant Milan supporters.

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It was a crushing blow for Liverpool but one from which they must have believed they could recover after their fightback heroics of Istanbul.

Here they returned to their dressing room knowing they were the better team, knowing that one goal could hit Milan's fragile ego like a sledgehammer. Indeed, Ancelotti's side were so fearful of a Liverpool comeback, so afraid of suffering the same fate again and so scared of another penalty shoot-out.

The threats issued by Milan beforehand amounted to nothing. There was no grand performance from Kaka. No fine attacking display that would leave Liverpool struggling, in the words of the Brazilian, to survive.

No evidence, as Gattuso suggested, that Milan had already beaten the best side in England when they met Premiership champions Manchester United in the previous round.

Benitez sent on Harry Kewell in his search for an equaliser and he sent on Peter Crouch, too, for some strange reason as a replacement for the magnificent Mascherano.

But after the cruel blow of that deflected first goal came the sucker punch. A second goal for Inzaghi in the 82nd minute, courtesy of Carragher's mistake.

The Liverpool centre half had been outstanding again. Clever, courageous, every bit the perfect defender, but a moment's hesitation and a simple, perfectly-weighted, pass from Kaka and Carragher had lost the Italian striker and Liverpool had lost the game.

Inzaghi dragged the ball wide of advancing goalkeeper Pepe Reina before cleverly guiding it under the Spaniard's body and into the net.

Inzaghi kissed the Athens turf in delight but ecstasy then turned to anxiety in the Milanese ranks, thanks to a goal from Kuyt in the 89th minute.

Pennant delivered the corner, Daniel Agger flicked it on and Kuyt then guided his header past keeper Dida from close range before picking up the ball and sprinting to the centre circle for the restart.

Just 60 seconds later and the fourth official signalled for three minutes of stoppage time. Three minutes, in the opinion of an angry Benitez, that Liverpool never quite received as they chased an equaliser.

He communicated as much to the officials at the final whistle and then went to his shattered, heartbroken players.

Because here, after all, was the chance for this present Liverpool side to go one better than their great rivals at Old Trafford, just as it was the chance for Benitez to rise above Ferguson and Mourinho as the Special One.

As it is, only Bob Paisley and Brian Clough have ever guided an English club to a second European Cup. Last night, though, you could sense that the third man to reach what Ferguson certainly regards as the pinnacle would still be Benitez.

AC MILAN (4-3-2-1): Dida; Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski (Kaladze 79min); Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf (Favalli 90), Kaka; Inzaghi (Gilardino 89). Booked: Gattuso, Jankulovski. Scorer: Inzaghi 45, 82.

LIVERPOOL (4-4-1-1): Reina; Finnan (Arbeloa 88), Carragher, Agger, Riise; Pennant, Mascherano (Crouch 78), Alonso, Zenden (Kewell 58); Gerrard; Kuyt. Booked: Mascherano, Carragher. Scorer: Kuyt 89.

Referee: Herbert Fandel (Ger). Man of the match: Filippo Inzaghi.